FAST
Fastenal Company Industrials - Industrial Distribution Investor Relations →
Fastenal Company (FAST) closed at $47.73 as of 2026-02-02, trading 48.3% above its 200-week moving average of $32.18. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 34.4% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 75, FAST is in overbought territory.
Over the past 1959 weeks of data, FAST has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times. On average, these episodes lasted 12 weeks. Historically, investors who bought FAST at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +22.9%.
With a market cap of $54.8 billion, FAST is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 1.5%. Return on equity stands at 33.3%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 13.9x book value.
FAST is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. The current yield is 189.00%. FAST passes our Buffett quality screen: high return on equity, low debt, and positive free cash flow.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in FAST would have grown to $22486, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 17.7% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming FAST as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 15.6% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: FAST vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After FAST Crosses Below the Line?
Across 15 historical episodes, buying FAST when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +21.7% after 12 months (median +14.0%), compared to +11.7% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 73% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +46.5% vs +19.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment FAST crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
FAST has crossed below its 200-week MA 15 times with an average 1-year return of +22.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1998 | Jan 1998 | 1 | 0.9% | +21.7% | +7120.1% |
| Aug 1998 | Nov 1998 | 13 | 41.0% | +48.2% | +6374.4% |
| Nov 1998 | Dec 1998 | 2 | 7.5% | +4.3% | +6611.8% |
| Jan 1999 | Apr 1999 | 11 | 15.3% | +21.8% | +6426.9% |
| Oct 1999 | Jan 2000 | 13 | 20.5% | +36.3% | +7083.9% |
| Feb 2000 | Mar 2000 | 5 | 14.6% | +36.0% | +5590.2% |
| Mar 2003 | Mar 2003 | 4 | 4.3% | +69.6% | +4245.1% |
| Jan 2008 | Jan 2008 | 2 | 4.5% | -2.9% | +1626.1% |
| Oct 2008 | Nov 2009 | 60 | 31.5% | +8.8% | +1490.8% |
| Oct 2014 | Oct 2014 | 1 | 1.9% | -6.4% | +529.9% |
| Feb 2015 | Feb 2016 | 52 | 17.7% | +5.2% | +504.0% |
| Jul 2016 | Aug 2016 | 2 | 2.3% | +3.6% | +486.0% |
| Sep 2016 | Nov 2016 | 9 | 10.8% | +8.3% | +504.0% |
| Jul 2017 | Jul 2017 | 1 | 0.2% | +39.3% | +465.7% |
| Aug 2017 | Aug 2017 | 2 | 3.5% | +50.4% | +485.3% |
| Average | 12 | — | +22.9% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02